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Fan Remake of Duke Nukem 3D in Unreal Engine 3 Authorised

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A group of Duke Nukem 3D fans have received the legal go-ahead for their remake of 3D Realms' classic macho shooter in the UDK, Epic's free version of Unreal Engine 3.

The plan is for the project dubbed Duke Nukem: Next-Gen to offer a shiny modern version of the shooter's three singleplayer episodes as well as multiplayer. It'll be released for free, naturally, "when it's done."

It's difficult not to be skeptical as this is a monumental undertaking but being granted a "personal non-commercial license" and the approval of Duke Nukem franchise owner Gearbox and Duke Nukem Forever publisher Take-Two is hopefully a big motivation.

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The team is planning to release a multiplayer "Milestone Test" with several maps and weapons "sooner than you think."

They're also looking to round the development team out, seeking artists, texture artists, coders and animators, if you have anything to offer in those fields. This shopping list of talent is worryingly reminiscent of those posted by countless mods shortly before they collapsed due to lack of interest and skill but if the resurrection of Duke Nukem Forever by Gearbox is any indication, you should always bet on Duke.

There's naturally no word yet on when Duke Nukem: Next-Gen will be released. Duke Nukem Forever, however, is genuinely, really, truly due out for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2011. If you buy the Game of the Year edition of Gearbox's Borderlands or own Borderlands on Steam, you'll get a key for early access to the DNF demo.